The 80 Watt Type BW/PowerHouse system—
the basics

Installing your 80 Watt Type BW system

or best performance, use 18-gauge wire to connect Type BW to your track. Start by attaching a lockon to your track. Connect your layout’s track wires to PowerStation’s track power terminals labeled A and U. The A wire connects to the lockon’s center-rail spring clip (no. 1). The U wire connects to the lockon’s outer-rail spring clip (no. 2).     Type BW’s track U terminal and accessory U terminal are common. Therefore accessory ground connections can be made to the track, if desired.     Use bare wire, banana plugs or U-shaped connectors on all Type BW connections, with no more than two wires on each terminal.

On larger layouts where several track connections are required, the use of separate junctions/terminal strips is recommended to prevent voltage drops.     Make sure all connections are very secure. A loose connection can produce extremely high temperatures. For this reason, do not touch terminals or track connections during use. Also do not locate scenery materials such as lichen or ground foam near the terminals.     Next, connect BW/PowerHouse by inserting its connector intoType BW’s input jack. Plug BW/PowerHouse into a wall outlet (120 volts, 60 cycles). Turn on BW/PowerHouse. (Always switch off BW/PowerHouse any time you’re not operating your railroad.)